Means for taking soundings at remote points



Aug, 4, 1931. E7 WILCKENS' 1,317,354

1 IEANS m TAKING sounnmss AT REMOTE POINTSK Filed May 26, 1928 Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES ERNST WIICKENS, F BERLIN, GERMANY MEANS FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS AT REMOTE POINTS Application filed May 26, 1928, Serial No. 280,946, and in Germany June 7, 1927.

This invention relates to a means for sounding the depth of water, and more particularly for taking soundings at some remote point.

Ships at the present time have various means for determining, from the ship itself, the depth of water at the point where the ship is situated. In many cases, however, it is desirable to know beforehand the depth of water at certain points along the ships route,

this in particular in such cases when by strong currents, for example in rivers, or in the vicinity of the mouths of rivers, the depth of water varies daily.

Apart from the enormous expense which would be incurred by providingmanned stations at all such points, it would from a technical standpoint be quite impossible to furnish at these points manned stations for the purpose of communicating by means of signals to passing ships the exact depth of water at the particular time. The erection of stations, which are not manned, has not been possible up to now, so that distant sounding has accordingly been dispensed with.

Now it is the object of the present invention to allow distant sounding to be performed if at the point where the depth of Water 'is v to be measured an unmanned floating body is situated. In this manner itwill be possible .30 in the majority of cases actually occurring in practice to determine beforehand the depth of water at certain points along the route, which the ship does not touch until later.

The inventlonwill now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a general view of one,

form of embodiment by way of example. Referring to the drawing, 1 is a floating body, on which is provided a receiver 2, which 40 may be arranged for the reception of either electrical, acoustical or optical waves. If the receiver, which in the further description will be referred to as antenna, is acted upon -by electrical, acoustical or optical waves as the case may be, the same actuates a relay 3, which in turn closes an auxiliary circuit. This auxiliary circuit receives its energy from a dry battery, and opens, by means of a relay, 7 a valve 4, whereby the energy stored within a reservoir 5 is conducted to a firmly mounted sound transmitting apparatus 6, setting the same in operation. The current traversing the auxiliary circuit at the same time actuatcs a second relay 7, which releases a locking means for a weight or plummet 8. Upon the release the weight or plummet 8 sinks in the known manner at an even rate towards the bottom. Due to the impact when striking the bottom, the weight or plummet causes a sound to be emitted, which sound is subsequent to that of the transmitter 6, the lapse of time between the two representing the ratio between the rate of fall and the distance traversed. It will be apparent that when the plummet strikes the bottom the impact therewith will emit a sound which may be very slight, but sufficient to be picked up by the delicate receiving instrument upon the ship at a remote point. However, the plummet may be of the detonating type to insure at all times a suflieient volume of sound to be positively received by the ship instrument. If the rate of fall is known, the depth of water may be readily calculated from the lapse of time between the emission of the two different sounds. In this manner a ship fitted with a corresponding sound receiver is in a position, by the aid of a stop watch, to determine the exact lapse of time. If, therefore, a ship wishes to ascertain the depth of water at a point where a floating body, e. g., a buoy, is situated, it is merely necessary for the same to transmit in the nown manner waves of a predetermined frequency in order to set the apparatus in operation. An acoustic signal is then emitted through the medium of the transmitter 6, whereupon the plummet 8 is released, and a further acoustic signal emitted immediately the plummet 8 strikes ground. When the plummet 8 has been released, a fresh plummet is positioned in place of the old one, and the apparatus switched off. To enable a fresh sounding to be taken it is necessary for fresh waves to be transmitted by'the ship. .This measure is provided in order to limit the use of the plummets to a minimum.

It is of course understood that I do not restrictmyself to the exact form of embodiment shown, but that various other forms may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for sounding the depth of water from a remote point comprising a sounding station situated in the vicinity of the place where the sounding is to be determined, signal means in said'sounding station controlled from the remote point, a plummet adapted to be released automatically upon the operation of said signal means, whereby when said plummet strikes the ground a second acoustic signal is transmitted subsequent to said first signal and the depth of the water can be calculated. 1

2. Means for sounding the depth of water at a remote point comprising a buoy situated in thevicinity of the place where the'depth of the Water is to be measured, a plummet provided on said buoy, a receiver on said buoy adapted to effect upon the reception of waves transmitted from the base of operation, an acoustic signal to be emitted, means for releasing said plummet upon the emission of said signal, said plummet when striking the ground serving to emit a second acoustical signal.

3. Means for sounding the depth of water at a remote point comprising a buoy situated in the vicinity of the place where the depth of the water is to be measured, a plummet provided on said buoy, a sound transmitter adapted to be actuated through the medium of a receiver upon the reception of Waves transmitted from the base of operation, a

relay adapted to release said plummet upon the actuation of said transmitter, said plummet when striking the ground serving to emit a second acoustical signal.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

- ERNST WILCKENS. 

